b'1961 Creation of Codex AlimentariusFlavr Savr tomato introduced1994(for food standards and food1962: Development of M&S tissue culture medium -1995: Registration ofrst genetically engineered plant (Bt corn) ( rst commercially grown safety) by FAO & WHO Murashige and Skoog The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the USA in 1995genetically engineered food) Agreement on Trade Related Foundation of InternationalSkoog and Murashige were attempting to discover a yet-un- approved the commercial production and distribution of therst1994 Aspects of Intellectual Union for the Protection of New1961 known plant growth regulator in tobacco juice but instead de- genetically engineered plant: Bt corn. Bacillus thuringiensis Property Rights (TRIPs) (Bt) crops Varieties of Plants (UPOV) veloped a greatly improved salt base for the sterile culture ofare plants genetically modi ed to contain the endospore (or crystal) tobacco. Skoog and Murashiges report published on the worktoxins of the Bt bacterium, allowing them to be resistant to certain First RNA base described is one of the most often-cited papers in biology, and the medi- insect pests. These Cry toxins are formed during sporulation of someStart of the Asia and Paci c19941961 Nirenberg & Matthaei um they discovered carries their names. Today, more than 60Bt strains and aggregate to form crystals toxic to speci c species ofSeed Association (APSA) years after their discoveries, Murashige and Skoog salt baseinsects. With this method, plants themselves can produce Bt proteins Development of M&S tissueremains an essential component in plant tissue culture. and protect themselves from insects without any external Bt and/or1995 Bt-corn introduced, 1.5 m ha culture medium - Murashige1962 synthetic pesticide sprays. Currently, the most common Bt crops areof biotech cropsand Skoog corn and cotton which are planted throughout the world. Establishment of the Embryo formed in anther culture,World Trade Organization19951964 haploid plants regenerated (replacing GATT)Guha & Maheshwari 1968: First systemic fungicide 1996 RR soybeans introducedCompletion of genetic code1966 Therst systemic fungicide product (Carboxin), which translo-decipheringNirenberg et al. 2000: The European Seed Association (ESA) was founded Start of Germination cates within the plant system and remains toght future fun- Euroseeds, initially called ESA, was founded in November 2000magazine 1996gal infection, was launched in 1968. The longer-term activity 1968 First systemic fungicide of a systemic fungicide, which protects plants for longer thanwhen four former European seed associations and individualThe European Seed Association a contact fungicide, allowed better control of control seedseed companies joined into one single Europe-wide organiza-and seedling diseases (smut, rot, blight) on multiple cereal,tion representing the entire European seed sector. Each associ- 2000 (ESA), the predecessor of legume, and oilseed crops.ationCOSEMCO (Seed Trade founded in 1961), ASSOPOMACEuroseeds was foundedCommercial seed priming 1971 (Potato Breeders in 1964), AMUFOC (Forage Seed ProductionAgreement on the Cartagena in 1970), and COMASSO (Plant Breeders in 1977)representedProtocol on Biosafety 2000important parts of the plant breeding, seed production and mar-1972 First somatic hybrid afterketing chain. In 1998, these associations established arst jointStart of the African Seed protoplast fusionCarlson et al. organisational structure as a platform for common activities2000 Trade Association (AFSTA)before fully merging into ESA in 2000. In 2019, ESA changed its Invention of DNA cloning1973 1980: U.S. Supreme Court Chakrabarty decision name to Euroseeds. Entry into force of the and genetic engineering On 17 March 1980, the United States Supreme Court con rmedCartagena Protocol on2003the decision of the Court of Customs and Patent Appeals toBiosafetyEntry into force of the 1980 Description of therstgrant a patent for a bacterium capable of breaking downInternational Treaty on Plant polymorphic marker crude oil (Pseudomonas putida 2004 Genetic Resources for Food and ). The Supreme Court therewith U.S. Supreme Court Chakrabartyestablished that whether or not an invention is a living thing2000: Publication on expression of beta-carotene in riceAgriculture (IT-PGRFA)is irrelevant to the question of its patentability. The decision decision allowing patenting of1980 authorized therst patent on an intentionally genetically mod- (Golden Rice)Potrykus and Beyer Start of the Seed Association of living organisms i ed organism and concluded that patents may be granted forGolden Rice is a new type of rice that contains beta carotenethe Americas (SAA)2005Budapest Treaty on theanything under the sun that is made by man. The decision(provitamin A, a plant pigment that the body converts into vitamin A Deposit of Microorganisms forand reshaped the agriculture industry. as needed). Beta carotene gives the rice grains a yellow-orange or2013 magazine1980 International Recognition of thecontributed to the rise of the modern biotechnology industrygolden colour and improves the grains nutritive value. It was madeStart of European Seed Patents possible by the addition of two new enzymes and is identical to the beta-carotene found in green leafy and yellow-coloured vegetables First genetically modi ed plant:and orange-coloured fruit. Vitamin A de ciency, common in develop- EU Court of Justice decision2015tobacco resistant to antibiotics.1983 ing countries, is one of the main causes of preventable blindness inon Farm Saved SeedsStable transformation ofyoung children. 2018 EU Court of Justice decision 1983 plants by genetic engineering on gene-edited plantsFirst transfer of a gene1988: First transgenic plant with a quality trait (delayed192 million ha of biotech ripening in tomato)coding for an agronomic1985 Polygalacturonase (PG) is the major cell wall degradingcrops grown by 17 million2018trait (herbicide tolerance inenzyme of tomato fruit. In 1988, researchers managed to sup- farmers in 26 countriestobacco) press PG gene expression, resulting in transgenic tomatoes2020: Nobel prize for Crispr/Cas9 - Emmanuelle Charpentier and First transgenic plant with awith signi cantlyrmer fruit. This was followed in 1994 byJennifer Doudna 2020 2020: Nobel prize for Crispr/Cas9 1988 quality trait (delayed ripeningthe release of the genetically modi ed tomato variety FlavrCRISPR is a defence mechanism of bacteria against viral attack.- Emmanuelle Charpentier and in tomato) Savr, which was therst commercially grown geneticallyCharpentier and Doudna discovered that, with the help of CRIS- Jennifer Doudnaengineered food to be granted a license for human consump- PR-CAS, it was possible to change the DNA of animals, plants and Start of Independent1989 tion. It was developed by the Californian company Calgene.microorganisms with extremely high precision. CRISPR-CAS hason Nadorcott case 2021EU Court of Justice decision Professional Seed AssociationThe tomato had an improved shelf-life, increased fungalopened up avenues to more ecient and faster plant breeding (IPSA) resistance and a slightly increased viscosity compared to itsand researchers have already been able to use the technology to New classes of fungicides,non-modi ed counterpart. It was meant to be harvested ripedevelop crops that are able to better withstand climate threats, such2023 Start of Seed World LATAM1990s insecticides and nematicides for increasedavour for long-distance shipping. as drought tolerance, as well as new pests and diseases. Unveiling of the global family Entry into force of theof Seed World publications, Convention on Biological1993 including rebranding2023Diversity (CBD) of European Seed to Seed World Europe40ISEED WORLD EUROPEIEUROPEAN-SEED.COM'